Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-10-21
TIE WHITE CAT

We called her the Duchess, so stately
and handsome was she; and we were all
very fond of her. All but my old friend
Tom Harding.
Directly you saw her your admiration
was caught; she was SO large, her coat
was so luxuriant and white. and her tail
was SO splendid You would exclaim:
"What a magnificent creature!'' And
when she walked sedately to you, placed
her great, soft forepaws on your knee,
and with a gentle whimper gazed for
moment into your face before proceeding
to the hearthrug, you would say delight
edly: "What a perfect lady! What
charming manners! She almost speaks!"
We-that is my wife and I-were ac-
customed to remarks of that kind. All
our friends made them upon first seeing
"The Duchess" We expected them: we
looked forward to them, and they graft
fed us; for not having at that time been
blessed with children. we lavished much
of our spare affection and pride upon our
cat. In the case of Tom Harding we
were disappointed The introduction
went off very badly. When our favorite
was presented Tom regarded her with
positive aversion; when she rested on his
knee he brushed her off as though she
had been snake, and rising abruptly he
walked to the window.
My wife and looked at each other in
silent surprise. She raised her eyebrows,
and drew down the corners of her pretty
mouth as though to say, 'This friend of
yours of whom you have talked so much
turns out to be perfect brute" I could
only reply with shrug of the shoulders
which said, my dear, l don't under
stand it at ALL Nor did l. / had not
seen Tom Harding for several years, but
remembered him as a really kind heart
ed, generous fellow-rather inclined to
be melancholy, perhaps (his mother was
Irish and wrote poetryD-but certainly
with nothing of the "brute' about him.
When Tom returned from the window
he had another surprise for us. He had
consented to stay few days with us; he
now announced that he had overlooked
lin his eagerness to be with me, his old
friend, of courseD certain very import
ant engagements, and that. in fact, he
would be reluctantly compelled to return
to town that very evening. My friend
excused himself, addressing my wife,
whose regret was not more than cour-
teous in nervous, almost pleading tone.
Oh, he was SO sorry didn't believe
him.
Tom, my boy"-we were sitting with
the decanter between us, after my wife
had left the dinner table-"Tom, my
boy" l said, ''you have no very import
ant engagements in town."
That was my opinion. and l took an
old friends privilege of expressing it
bluntly.
Tom started and colored slightly.
"What makes you think sou he asked,
trifling with the nut crackers
Il don't know exactly, but I'm sure
I'm right You told Gertrude fib-be
careful or your glass will be over-but
you haven't the courage to brazen it out
with me?"
Nonsense! Why should l tell your
wife fib?"
"Why, indeed 1t was very wrong of
you-take another cigar if that one won I
burn-you can only make reparation by
telling her husband the truth.
MY dear fellow, have nothing tc
confess, said Tom with slight irritabil.
ity as he cut about half an inch off 9
fresh cigar. (How do hate to see good
cigars mutilatedD
Confess why you changed your mind
about staying so suddenly. Come"
added, as he made no reply, "I'll helI
you. Some one in this house is obnox
ious to your"
''Who can it be?'' exclaimed Ton
banteringly, with view to hiding hi
confusion.
Our beautiful cat CHANGED at that mo
ment to leap from the lawn to the win
dow sill.
1.-THE Duchess" said quietly, point
ing with my cigar.
Tom Harding turned pale-yes, this ole
friend of mine, full grown man, actu
ally turned pale at the sight of whit
cat on window sill. 1t was most ex
traordinary. So great was my surpris
and curiosity that let my cigar go out
The Duchess eyed us calmly for a few
moments, and then jumping down sh
walked over to Tom with the eviden
intention-forgiving creature!-of max
ing another attempt to cultivate his &C
quaintance. Tom rose and walked t
another part of the room.
''For once your grace has failed t
conquer" remarked, STOPPING to cares
my favorite. Then led her to the doc
and bowed her out.
vac a hetiC diiioyCus anu ouplOo
Tom guessed it, for he said when l re
turned to the table: II am afraid 20
are offended with me-"
''Not with you, but with a mystery
hate mysteries-but let us change tn
subject"
No." he replied, nervously; 81 ow
you an explanation. This disagreeabl
incident has forced a confession upo
me-"
''Let us change the subject" I Re
peated.
was beginning to pity him, he SCENE
so distressed.
1T is too late" he said in almost d.
spairing tones 81 must explain, or yo
will think me either o brute or a mac